… benevolence towards non-christians. The Bible warns us against burdening the church in 1 Tim. 5:16. It also gives limitations concerning a christian widow who should be allowed to receive help. A few are she should have devoted herself to every good work, washed the feet of the saints, and have a reputation for good works. These limitations seem to be pointing only to a Christian woman. One other thing I would like to say is the Bible seems to tell me in Acts 5:4 that while money is ours we can do as we please, but once it is in the church treasury it is no longer under our control. That we as a church should use this money as according to examples and direct command. It doesn’t make much sense to me to use the church’s money for schools and other things which burden the church. It seems to me these things and others are the responsibility of the individual christian. We have to draw a line somewhere and it has to be where God has drawn it. Very Sincerely, Loria McCrimon
First Timothy 5:3-16 pertains to Christian widows. Some of these are destitute and have no families able or willing to care for them. Christian widows who meet certain qualifications listed in that context may become the permanent beneficiaries of the church. Widows who have family members, though, are to be cared for by those family members. Young widows are charged to marry.
None of this addresses whether the church may practice acts of benevolence to Christians other than widows or even non-Christians who may have legitimate needs. Two passages in particular state that church funds were collected for poor saints (doubtless, not all destitute widows, especially in Acts 4:32-36; 5:1ff) were also available for non-Christians.
“For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men” (2 Corinthians 9:12-13).
“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).
Both of these passages contrast Christians with others in addition to Christians, with a preference for Christians. That the word “men” is italicized and not in the Greek does not change the meaning of the passage. Obviously, the verses, with or without the word “men,” do not refer to goats, but people. Two groups of people are entertained, Christians and others (non-Christians). The apostle Paul further characterized the contribution he brought to Palestine as for his “nation,” which is a larger category than saints only. “Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings” (Acts 24:17).
If by “schools” one means colleges where one primarily receives a secular education, yes, that ordinarily would be a function of the home, and the church ought not to be funding “schools.” If by “schools” one means schools of preaching, that is an entirely different matter. In one sense, a school of preaching is comparable to any Bible class a congregation might have, except that this one is geared for preparing men to preach the Gospel. Unnamed “other things” cannot be addressed. Truly, “We have to draw a line somewhere and it has to be where God has drawn it.” The problem arises when anyone draws lines that God did not draw and proposes, even with the utmost of sincerity and good intentions, to make them tests of fellowship (where God did not make tests of fellowship).
